When I open my driver's door there is no resistance from fully closed to fully open. I'm guessing there are some detents on the hinge that have worn down. Haven't found in the manual replacement procedure.

 

There is an arm that has detent spots on it, not related to the hinges. You'll have to get your eyes down there to see what's happening. On mine, the door metal itself had cracked and broken where the arm goes inside the door. We had to take the door apart and weld the metal back in place. We reinforced the metal inside the door so it never happens again, then repainted the area where we welded and ground the metal. Hopefully yours won't be that complicated, maybe as simple as a pin missing on that arm.

 

You should have one point on opening about 2/3 way open.
The is for a rear one, but I would guess the wheel is probably toast.

 

sometimes the check arm rips the door metal and sometimes the mounting plate breaks into two pieces.


put a couple big washers on the stud to avoid this

 

+1 for check-arm issue.

 

It's the check arm. The driver's wiggles while the passenger's is solid.

 

I'm wondering if its possible the rivet for the wheel may have just broken and all you may have to do it re-rivet it or a machine bolt with a nylok nut? (grade 5 or better, I redo everything with grade 8 where possible)

 

Might have time to pull door panel this weekend and see. I'll post an update.

 

This is what happened to mine. The door check broke and the door metal ripped. Complete carnage but a little welding fixed it right up.

 

This thread topic reminded me that I need to install this heavy duty plate between the door check and the door in my 03’ SV8. I’ve only had this for about 7 years and it was supposed to go in my wife’s 00’ XJ8. I think I ordered it from Coventry West. I installed one in my 98’ XJR years ago and is still flawless today.

 

That’s what I used — along with a new door check — when I had a break like Punsacola’s

 

Pulled door panel. No pic, but just look at Kroger's Jag above. Check arm broken the same way and a little less sheet metal damage.